Combined circuit breaker and fuse receptacle



H. C. WENDLE ET AL Filed June. 16, 1922 COMBINED CIRCUIT BREAKER AND FUSE RECEPTAGLE A ril 7, 1925.

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i atented Apr. 7, 1925.

UNITED STA-res PATENT orr es.

HARRY C. WENDLE, OF NEW PARIS, AND MERRIL I-IOLSOPPLE, O'F SEANOR, PENNSYL- VANIA.

COMBINED CIRCUIT BREAKER AND rose BECEPTACLE.

Application filed'June 16, 1922. Serial No. 568,713.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that HARRY C. WENDLE and Mnnnin HoLsorrLn, citizens of the United States, residing at New Paris and Seanor, in the counties of Bedford and Somerset,

certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Circuit Breakers and Fuse Receptacles, of which the following is a specification. p

This invention relates to an improved combined circuit breaker and fuse receptacle and more particularly to a construction 'wherein the circuit must necessarily be opened before the fuse can be disturbed or reached for replacement.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a combined circuit breaker and fuse box receptacle wherein the cover or lid for both compartments is automatically locked when the cover is closed, and also designed so that the cover for the switch or circuit breaker is first unlocked and the circuit opened before-the lock on the fuse box compartment is released thus making it impossible to molest the fuse before the circuitis opened.

A further object of this invention is to provide a sliding hinged cover for both the switch and fuse compartments, and separate locks for both compartments.

lVith these and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction,'com'- bination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully pointed out, illustrated and claimed.

It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention belongs, that the same is susceptible of some structural changes and modifications without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, but a preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of my improved combined circuit breaker and fuse receptacle.

Figure 2 is a frontelevation of the device shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

locked position of the circuit breaker compartment door and also the unlocked position of the fuse compartment door. and State of Pennsylvania, have invented Figure 4 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

Similar referencenumerals refer to similar parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In carrying the present inventioninto effect we propose to provide a combined switch and fuse receptacle designated generally as It and including in its organization a back or base 1, and a box or casing member B having the side walls 2 and end walls 2 while the front thereof may be opened and closed by a novel cover device C. As will be observed from the drawings the said cover device G preferably consists of the upper and lower door sections 3 and 4 respectively, connected at their intermediate edges by a suitable spring hinge 5 so that both sections are normally maintained in the same plane.

The upper door section 3 preferably overlies the position of a switch S carried by the case 1 of the device While the door 4 overlies the position of the fuse F mounted between the fuse terminals T on the base 1.

For the purpose of shiftably mounting the cover C on the box or casing B the upper section 3 carries at opposite sides thereof the bracket arms 6 which are rigidly secured thereto as at 6 while the opposite end is pivoted as at 7 to the side walls 2 of the box or casing; Also one side of the door 3 is provided with a plate 8 having an offset flange portion provided with a slot 9 for receiving the shank 10 of an operatofis han- I die 11 which is also pivoted as at 12 to one side 2 of the boX or casing B.

The lower door 4 has itslower side edges provided with keeper members 13 having a slot 14 adapted to receive a stud 15 carried by the side walls 2 of the casing. The slot 14 is slightly flaring in width and is substantially parallel with the plane of the door 4 so that in order to release the keepers 13 from the studs or lugs 15 to permit; the cover 4 to be raised, a sliding niovement of the entire cover is necessary. This sliding movement is permitted by the pivoted brackets 6 as indicated in Figure 3.

The door 3 is provided at its inner side with a suitable clip 16 or its equivalent for loosely engaging with the handle portion 17 of a knife switch 18 which is pivoted in the customary manner as at 19 to one of the switch terminals 20. hen the cover C closes the box the switch 18 bridges the terminals 20 and 21 within the casing and completes the circuit in the usual manner. Also when the cover is closed the d0or -t covering the fuse compartment is held in its closed position and locked by the keeper members 13' engaging with the lugs 15.

However when it is desired to have access to the fuse F for purpose of replacement the handle 11. must first be moved on its pivot 12-. in such a manner that the shoulder 12 thereof will engage with the plate 8 at one side of the slot 9 and will rock the upper door 3 outwardly on the hinge 5. As this door 3 turns on the hinge 5 the brackets 6 come intov play to have the eti'ect of pushing the entire cover away from the casing B and while the continued movement of the operators handle 11 causes the cover to slide parallel to the edges of the walls 2 to move the keepers 1-3 out of disengaging relation with, the lugs 15. When the lugs 15 have cleared the slots l t: the door t covering the fuse compartn'ient may be lifted as indicated. by the dotted lines in Figure 3. It will of course be understood that when the. door 3 reaches the limit of its. outward movement the knife switch 18 has been pulled open to break the circuit so that when it becomes possible to lift the door 4; of the fuse compartment the circuit is en tirely broken. In that way the fuse may be removed and replaced with perfect safety because the fuse terminals are dead.

lVhen it is desired to close the. cover C on the box or casing B the handle 11 is returned to the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, the shoulder 12 on the shank 10 of the. handle, engaging with the plate 9 to rock the door 3 back into alinement with the door 4:? and alsoserving to seatthe entire cover on the box by sliding the same into position so that the slots lrl will again engage with the lugs 15.

From the foregoing it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent and it is of course understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

lVe claim 1. In a combined fuse and switch receptacle, having pivoted knife switch and fuse terminals therein, a. safety cover for said receptacle comprising. sections hinged together and one of said sections being operatively connected with the knife switch, means carried by the other of said sections having a locking engagement with the receptacle, and means for inmarting a swinging movement to one of said sections on the hinge thereof and simultaneously impart ing relative sliding movement to both of said sections.

2. A combined fuse and switch receptacle having, a pivoted knife switch and fuse terminals therein. a safety cover for said receptacle cons 'ting of hingedly connected sections forming doors for respectively uncovering the switch and fuse terminals, one of said doors being. operatively connected with the knife switch and the other of said doors having a locking engagement with a portion of the receptacle, and means for manipulating the door connected with the switch to-operate the switch to open the circuit and simultaneously unlock the other door to permit access to the. fuse terminals.

3. A combined fuse and switch receptacle having a pivoted knife switch and fuse terminals therein, a safety cover for said receptacle comprising hingedly connected sections constituting a switch door and a fuse door, said switch doorljieing operatively connected with the knife switcln locking meanscarried by the fuse door and the receptacle, means for pivotally supporting the switch door on the receptacle, and a handle pivotally carried by the receptacle. and operatively engaging with the switch door to simultaneously rockthe switch door outwardly to open the circuit and also shift the fuse door to release the locking means thereof.

' A combined fuse and switch receptacle having a pivoted knife switch and fuse terminals therein, a safety cover for said receptacle comprising sections connected by a transverse hinge thereby forming a switch door and a fuse door, studs carried by the receptacle, keeper members carried by the switch door for engaging with said studs, bracket members carried by the switch door and pi'votally SHPPOli'Ctl on the receptacle. means for connecting the switch door with the knife switch, and means mounted on the receptacle and opcratirely engaging with the switch door to simultaneously rock the same on its hinge and shift the same tough t-udinally of the receptacle.

5. combined fuse and switch receptacle having a pivoted knife switch and fuse terminals therein a safety cover for said receptacle comprising sections connected by a transverse hinge thereby forming a switch door and a fuse door, studs carried by the receptacle, keeper members carried by the switch door for engaging with said studs, bracket members carried by the switch door and pivotally supported on the receptacle. means for connecting the switch door with IOU the knife switch, and means mounted on the receptacle and operative-1y engaging With the switch door to simultaneously rock the same on its hinge and shift the same longitudinally of the receptacle, said means comprising a handle member having one end pivotally engaging the receptacle and a handle at the opposite end, a slotted plate carried by the switch door and receiving the shank of the handle, and shoulders on the shank of the handle for engaging With the plate at the ends of the slot.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

HARRY G. VVENDLE. MERRIL HOLSOPPLE. 

